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Jessie Lamar Y'Barbo

Forest Technician III

Forestry Technician Y'Barbo was participating in the controlled (prescribed) burn of a 35-acre block of mature pine forest, with low understory vegetation. Forestry Technician Y'Barbo was operating a 1985 Honda 250 All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), which had been procured by the Forest Service as Federal government property. The ATV had a shop-made holder at the rear that accommodated a drip torch. Forestry Technician Y'Barbo was wearing brush gear. As Forestry Technician Y'Barbo ascended an incline while riding the ATV, the vehicle overturned backward. As Forestry Technician Y'Barbo struggled to free himself, he accidentally kicked off the cap on the ATV's fuel tank. Fuel splashed on Forestry Technician Y'Barbo and was quickly ignited by the drip torch. Other firefighters quickly came to Forestry Technician Y'Barbo's aid, and he was transported to a hospital to undergo burn treatment. Despite the efforts of his fellow firefighters and hospital personnel, Forestry Technician Y'Barbo died on April 7, 2000. The cause of death was listed as complications of thermal injuries. An Accident Review and Mitigation Report prepared by the Forest Service recommended that all Forest Service ATVs be equipped with threaded caps (the cap on Forestry Technician Y'Barbo's ATV was only equipped with a quarter-turn cap); fuel tank venting and overflow tubes; operator training, equipping supervisors with first aid kits that include fire blankets; the consideration of replacement of older, narrow track ATVs; and the installation of rollover protection on ATVs. Forestry Technician Y'Barbo was the past Fire Chief of the Kirbyville Fire Department.
photo of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Jessie Lamar Y'Barbo was honored on the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland and was included in the USFA’s annual report Firefighter Fatalities in the United States.

Department information

Texas Forest Service
P.O. Box 310
Lufkin, Texas 79502

Chief: Bobby Young

Age: 54
Rank: Forest Technician III
Classification: Career
Incident date: March 13, 2000 12:00
Date of death: April 7, 2000
Cause of fatal injury: Vehicle Collision - Includes Aircraft
Nature of fatal injury: Burns
Activity type: Riding Vehicle/Apparatus
Emergency duty: No
Duty type: On-Scene Fire
Fixed property use: Outdoor Property

Last updated: March 27, 2018